that they were counted worthy to suffer not only shame, but even death for his name.

4. The love of Jesus powerfully felt in the heart will constrain us disinterestedly to aim at the advancement of his glory in the earth. The christian, contemplating the condescension and grace of his Lord, will readily acknowledge, “it is little that I can do in return to him who has done so much, and suffered so much for me; who has redeemed me from an exceeding, elernal weight of wrath and purchased for me an exceeding, eternal weight of glory; yet as ability is given I desire to spend and be spent in his service, and for his honor: I cannot express my gratitude for his love, nor my obligation to live to him, and for him: I acknowledge that after all I do or can do, were my talents much more numerous than they are, and these all exclusively devoted to his service, I must remain an infinite, eternal debtor to his grace: I am admonished this day that I am not my own, but bought with a “price, all price beyond :" I behold in the bread and wine, these symbols of the body and blood of my dear Redeemer, the amazing expence at which my pardon and peace were procured: Here I behold in the most impressive, interesting light, the grace of the Lord Jesus, and his compassion to insignificant, wretched, hell-deserving sinners: I behold in this ordinance a representation of the Father's EQUAL and FELLOW becoming a man of sorrows; him who originally

was fairer than the children of men with his visage so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men; the Prince of life made of no reputation, put to grief, and dying the death of the cross: I will therefore glorify him in my body and soul which are his.” Is the christian possessed of wealth, he will cheerfully part with a portion of this for supplying the poor of Jesus or spreading abroad the savour of his name, as providence may require: That same principle of love which constrained the primitive believers to resign houses or lands, will constrain believers now to give up a share of their worldly substance when the honor or interest of their Lord may require it.

Beloved brethren, need I mention that, although this is a reasonable, it is a mournfully neglected service. Many professors are seemingly willing to do any thing for Jesus Christ, except sparing their property. They will talk eloquently, and, to human appearance, feelingly of his condescension, and for his cause. They will pray with seeming fervor, “that his poor may be supplied, that his kingdom may come, that his gospel may be diffused, and his glory promoted;" but ask them for the means of

supplying his

poor, or diffusing his gospel, or promoting his glory, and they instantly startle and call it a hard saying. How inconsistent is such conduct ? How unworthy the followers of him who “although he was rich

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yet for our sakes became poor?” Can we, if our hearts are warm with his love, refuse share of our earthly goods at his call; goods which his free, unmerited bounty has given us; which his blessing alone can sanctify or render comfortable, and which he may recall at his pleasure ? Besides, a disposition “ready to distribute, willing to communicate,” may be pronounced the most honourable because it is the most disinterested expression of our gratitude to the Redeemer's love. There is something dignified in taking our seats in his sanctuary, and in mingling our voices in his praise; in listening with solemnity to his message, and bearing our public testimony for his cause.

There is something dignified in rising from our seats on this sacramental occasion, and approaching his table, and, over the symbols of his body and blood, affectionately avouching him to be our Redeemer and Lord: There is something dignified in speaking boldly for Jesus, when his divine glories are denied, or any part of his truth ignorantly or wilfully perverted; but there is something more dig.nified, because more disinterested, in consecrating to him a portion of our property, the worldling's idol, when we expect nothing.

Permit me to apply this doctrine by urging you all to entertain elevated views of the love of “the great God our Saviour.” Imperfect, contracted thoughts of his grace may

belief in sinners, and the radical cause of all that indifference in his service, that distrust and discontent under the dispensations of his providence which appear among the saints. When the sinner is brought to serious reflection; when he has obtained some deep discovery of his guilt, and deformity, and danger, he is prone to stand aloof from the Saviour; he is afraid to look towards him, or trust his soul on his mercy for salvation; he considers himself infinitely unworthy the attention of a being so glorious ; too vile, too contemptible to be noticed by Him who is greater than the kings of the earth, or to receive a blessing so precious as eternal life through his name. All these reasonings of unbelief arise from want of suitable conceptions of the love of Jesus. What moved him from everlasting to offer himself as a surety for fallen man, and actually undertake in our room? It was LOVE. What moved him to appear in the fulness of time, to veil his glory in human flesh, and stoop even to the humble condition of a servant? It was love. What moved him to submit voluntarily to poverty, and reproach, and sorrows, and sufferings which remain without a parallel, without even a comparison in the annals of the world ? It was love. Why need he be “an hungred, when the earth was his and the fulness thereof;" without a place to lay his head, when “he was the heir of all things, and upheld them by the word of his power; or bear to be mock

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ed as a blasphemer when zeal for his Father's glory was consuming him? It was love. Why did he suffer himself tamely to be betrayed into the hands of sinners, when legions of angels were ready to avenge his quarrel, or he could, with his own uncreated, omnipotent arm, have ground to powder the hosts of his opposers ! It was love. Why

:? need he steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem, when he knew the ignominious, painful decease which he had there to accomplish, and at last bear, without “ opening his mouth” by way of murmur, that shock of heaven's wrath which would have crushed a world to hell? It was love. Anxious, trembling sinners, has the Saviour done and endured all these things in love to your souls, and to work out your salvation, and can you now question his good will to you, or doubt his readiness to receive. Did he with his own “ blood redeem you from the wrath to come,” and will he doom you to sink beneath the weight of this wrath with desires after mercy in your hearts, and cries for mercy in your lips? Has he wrought out on his cross, does he bring near in his gospel “a garment of salvation," and will he refuse it to those who are willing to put it on? After he has tendered to his Father's justice the full price of your emancipation, and is now “proclaiming liberty to the captives,” will he leave you to languish in everlasting chains when supplicating for help? Has he opened a new and living way to the holiest